This Addiction
by thisplacewasneverthesame
Summary: Recently discharged from Iraq, Lucas Scott has struggled to blend back into life as a citizen and not a solider.  While battling his own demons he meets someone who could help him if he chooses to let her in.
1. Story of a Lonely Guy

Lucas Scott leaned back against his apartment building, puffing a Marlboro Medium and keeping his icy blue eyes focused on the white smoke billowing into the dark Brooklyn sky. He watched as a black Mercedes eased its way around the corner, its tinted windows were like mirrors so the less fortunate could see themselves watching the American Dream zip by. His neighborhood wasn't exactly the place where people who lived the American Dream resided. Lucas scoffed slightly, he didn't see the point in trying to attain that Dream anymore, not after everything he had seen. Lucas stuffed his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket, his combat boots stamping the concrete to keep warm. Three months now. Three months he had been back. Three months since demobilization and discharge. Three months of transition and nothing gone right.

He had already pissed away most of his duty pay. Mostly on booze. Those things he had told all the other guys he was going to do when he got back- drink all night, sleep all day, grow a beard, get a tattoo- those things he had done. Those goals had been achieved. The things the army recommends doing before discharge to ease the transition- lining up housing, finding a steady job, getting back on track- those things he had let slide. A lot of businesses had the yellow 'Support Our Troops' ribbons in their front windows, but when Lucas had showed up fresh from Iraq, looking for a job, scratching and scribbling his name and address on an application pad, they didn't see a battle tested hero but rather a potential ticking time bomb. Hiring a guy with more confirmed kills than college credits wasn't exactly what most employers saw as a 'good idea'.

After serving two terms in Iraq, coming back home was a shock. There was no order, no structure, no purpose to his life. War gave him a mission, clearly defined. Lucas always seemed to distance himself from the friends he had, even his family. He no longer lived in Tree Hill, North Carolina. After coming back to the states the first time around, Lucas was only 20 years old and everyone wasn't sure to act around him- most tried to find ways to relate to him. But now every conversation took on a subtext, an underlying new meaning. 'Let me buy you a drink, soldier' turned into 'If you go insane and start shooting up the room, spare me.' And 'I was really considering enlisting' meant 'Yeah, 9/11 made me shit my pants, but somehow I pulled myself together and haven't missed a season of The Real World since'. Long story short, Lucas wasn't sure where he fit in anymore. He felt like a social outcast.

About a month ago, Lucas had figured enough was enough. He needed to get his shit together. He couldn't keep confined to his dingy one bedroom apartment any longer, battling his demons. That wasn't the way he was raised. Finally feeling like he had turned a new leaf, Lucas had found a job as a parking lot attendant in Manhattan. It wasn't much, but it paid the bills. And as for his demons, Lucas had decided to start attending weekly AA meetings. His drinking had gotten increasingly worse after he came back from Iraq the first time around and after his second term ended, it had only spiraled out of control.

Glancing down at his watch, Lucas let out a mumbled 'Fuck'. It was Wednesday night: 6:30. He had to get to Saint Paul's Church in 25 minutes if he wanted to stay consistent with his meetings. Lucas was still unsure of how he felt about all of this AA shit. On one hand, he could see how it helped some, but only if they really wanted to change. And right now Lucas wasn't sure what he wanted.

* * *

><p>Brooke Davis impatiently tapped her heel against the wooden floor in the living room she was currently sitting in, her brilliant hazel eyes darting back and forth between the red digital clock on the microwave in the kitchen and her friend Rachel's bedroom door. The tiny brunette was trying her best to stay calm and collected considering the sensitivity of the situation, but if they didn't leave in the next couple of minutes the two young women would be late to Rachel's first Alcoholics Anonymous group meeting. Rachel had refused to go to any meeting in Manhattan out of fear of being recognized by anyone, so Brooke had suggested going into Brooklyn. Rachel had been hesitant at first, but she finally gave in and agreed. It wasn't like Brooke needed to go for herself, she was going to be there as moral support. Rachel had been on the brink of unemployment after she showed up to a photo shoot intoxicated…shitfaced was more like it, but Brooke didn't want to add any salt to her friend's wounds.<p>

Brooke stood up and ran a hand through her chocolate locks, glancing in the mirror to make sure she looked decent. She shrugged the self-consciousness away almost immediately; they were going to an AA meeting. There was no one there to impress, and it was anonymous to begin with. After this week, she wasn't planning on going back with Rachel, Brooke just wanted to get over her this initial first hump. She couldn't help but feel a little sorry for Rachel. She was definitely not an alcoholic by any means; she just liked to have fun. Rachel's boss at the modeling agency had insisted that she attended a couple meetings.

"Rachel!" Brooke yelled, walking towards the closed door and slipping her Blackberry into her purse. She sighed under her breath quietly, thinking of all the work she had ahead of her tomorrow. Being an up and coming designer was even more work than she had initially expected, and Brooke couldn't remember the last time she had gotten more than 5 hours of sleep. This had been her dream growing up, but now she wondered if the grass really was greener on the other side. "We gotta go or we're going to be late." From behind the door, Brooke heard a familiar voice huffing at her.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Jesus Christ, Brooke." Rachel emerged from behind the door, looking just as Brooke expected. The girls were out, even for something this informal.

"Slut."

"Whore." Rachel did not look happy. Brooke couldn't blame her, she didn't know how she would react if someone told her she had a problem.

"Alright buddy, let's get this over with." Brooke linked her arm through Rachel's as the two friends headed out into the dark Manhattan night.

* * *

><p>Lucas found himself seated in the same circle he had been every Wednesday night for the past month. He liked to sit away from the group leader, Charlie. Lucas never wanted to go first and introduce himself, he'd rather listen than speak. Icy blue orbs glanced around the open room; he recognized a few familiar faces that offered him reassuring smiles. Lucas fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. After being in the service, he hated feeling weak in any way shape or form.<p>

The meeting started as usual, Charlie read out of 'The Big Book' that was a staple in the program. Lucas never paid too much attention to Charlie, he'd rather spend more time observing the others out there like him. As fucked up as it sounded, Lucas felt like he was a part of something again. His thoughts were abruptly disrupted five minutes in when the double doors swung open loudly. Jerking his head around, Lucas turned to see what the commotion was. A redhead and a tiny brunette timidly walked in, the brunette waving apologetically as Charlie motioned them to take a seat. Both were wearing heels, evident from the clicking against the cold tile floor. Lucas arched an eyebrow quizzically. Who knew AA could be so glamorous? He heard one whisper to the other a frazzled 'I-told-you-we'd-be-late'. Lucas tried not to stare and brought his attention back Charlie, sort of. The two women, who were undoubtedly drop dead gorgeous had taken seats directly across from him in the circle of blue plastic chairs.

The discussion quickly turned into 'sharing' which gave the group members the opportunity to discuss their bad experiences with alcohol and addiction. Charlie gave the floor to the two newcomers, the first one being the brunette. Lucas couldn't help but sit up in his seat to listen to her speak. She seemed pretty put together and confident, not like most of the others in the room. Before Lucas got the chance to hear her voice, the red head interrupted quickly and stuck her arm out as if to stop the brunette from saying anything at all.

"Oh, she's just with me for moral support. But my name is Rachel." Lucas couldn't help but feel mildly disappointed he didn't get the chance to learn her name. He kept his eyes fixated patiently on the brunette as he tuned out whatever it was this girl, Rachel, was saying. The brunette had caught him staring and flashed him a quick dimpled smile and Lucas immediately felt his cheeks turn a light shade of pink as he quickly grinned back before diverting his attention to his combat boots, finding them increasingly interesting.

Lucas suddenly felt himself being sucked back to reality as the old man next to him jabbed him in the ribs. "It's your turn, kid. Stand up."

Straightening up, Lucas nervously drummed his fingertips as he stood up. This was his least favorite part of the week, admitting he had a problem. "Hi." He waved around the room nervously before digging his hands deep into his pockets. "My name is Lucas and I'm an alcoholic."

As he went to sit back down, Charlie interrupted him. "Lucas, you've been here for a while now. Is there anything you'd like to share? This is a safe place, you know. We're all here to help. We understand."

Lucas awkwardly straightened himself up, trying to find the right words to say, or even where to begin. He wasn't exactly sure if anyone in a mile radius could understand what the fuck he had been through. "Ok, um…I was discharged from my second term in Iraq three months ago." Glancing around the room, Lucas began to idly tug at the dog tags that he still wore around his neck. "I've been there. I've seen it all. The violence, the bloodshed, the destruction….the death. No amount training could ever prepare anyone for that first initial shock of watching your friends being blown up into a thousand pieces. And I don't know, I guess it's hard knowing I don't see the world like everyone else does anymore." Lucas felt the room go silent, as if everyone was holding their breath. "Sometimes it's just easier to forget."

And with that, Lucas sat down quietly, feeling mildly embarrassed and a little relieved at the same time. Everyone's eyes were on him and Charlie's mouth was hanging open. He wasn't sure what to do, so he linked his fingers together and sat with his hands in his lap, waiting for the next person to speak. His blue eyes trailed around the room, stopping to meet a pair of hazel eyes.

* * *

><p>Brooke remained completely silent after listening to this stranger named Lucas. There was something so magnetic about him. She couldn't help but keep her eyes glued to him. The way he had just bared his soul to a group of people had been so enticing that she couldn't help but feel amazed at just how honest this Lucas was. There was no way she could ever do that. Hell, she barely let her best friends know what was going on behind the walls she put up, let alone a group of strangers. Brooke stared intently at him: his cheeks were still red from embarrassment as the woman seated next to him stood up and began some sob story. His blonde hair was buzzed closely to his head and his brooding blue eyes were looking up at the ceiling, his fingers twitching in his lap. He definitely need a shave…maybe a shower too and the heavy circles under his crystal orbs proved he hadn't slept well in days. Brooke jumped slightly when she heard Rachel's voice in her ear.<p>

"See, I'm glad my tits are out. Who would've thought someone THAT good looking would just happen to be here?"

* * *

><p>About 20 minutes later, Charlie announced that the group would break into groups of two. Lucas sighed to himself, he wasn't looking forward to stale donuts, shitty coffee, and a strangers prying eyes thrown at him just yet. Still feeling jittery from his confession, he slipped out of the church unnoticed as he pulled his red Bic lighter from his pocket. The rush of cool air hit him suddenly and Lucas felt as if he could breathe again, go figure seeing he had lit up a cigarette. Taking a long drag in, Lucas felt his nerves settle as the white smoke seeped into his lungs only to momentarily be exhaled out of the corner of his mouth. Leaning back against the old stone building, he heard the door swing open and an angry voice.<p>

"Yes, Victoria. I'll take care of it." It was the brunette who had caught him staring. Lucas tried not to eavesdrop, but it was hard not to when the rest of the dark street was pretty much silent and bare. "I'll do it tomorrow!" Her tiny frame paced up and down the sidewalk as she hung up, not realizing she was not alone. He watched as she let out an exasperated and frustrated sigh.

"Smoke?" He asked, a small smirk spreading across his lips when she jumped at the sound of his deep voice.

Brooke regained her composure and let out a nervous laugh as she shook her head in response. "No thanks, I haven't since high school…Lucas, right?" He nodded in response, the smoke clouding around his features. "Moral Support Girl, right?" Lucas asked quietly, his grin much more evident now. She laughed and took a step closer to him.

"Yeah, my friend needed someone to come with her, I volunteered myself." Lucas remained silent, his eyes darting back to the street before he brought his full attention back to Brooke. "So uh…you gonna tell me your name? It'd only be fair, even though this is technically an 'anonymous' place."

Brooke felt her cheeks flush as a small laugh escaped her. "It's Brooke, sorry about that." Lucas tried to keep his smile to himself as he took another drag of his cigarette; his hardened demeanor was slowly slipping away. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Brooke."

She flashed him a real, genuine smile-her dimples fully exposed. "Likewise. But I gotta get back to my friend, she'll go ape shit if I leave her alone for too long." Lucas nodded his head, eyebrows raised. "Yikes, better you than me." Brooke turned to walk back inside, but something inside her stopped her.

"Hey," she said, hazel eyes focused on the tall figure in the dark, "about what you said tonight in there….I just want you to know that I have a lot of respect for the sacrifices guys like you make. I couldn't imagine every being in your shoes for a day. But thank you, you know for everything you've done for everyone."

Lucas stood there silently with his mouth open slightly as his ears perked up at her raspy voice. Unsure of what to say, he nodded quietly. "You're welcome, I guess." And for the first time since he had been back in the states, Lucas couldn't find a subtext or secret meaning behind her words.

Brooke entered the church again to see an impatient Rachel waving her arms at her. The tiny brunette took a seat next to Rachel and took a small breath in; she couldn't help but think maybe she had just found a reason to come here back to this church every week.


	2. Your Way With Words Is Through Silence

With nothing exciting happening in Lucas Scott's life, it didn't take much for his mind to wander back to last Wednesday night. The genuine gratitude that Brooke had expressed had caught Lucas off guard. He felt as if a normal reaction to an alcoholic veteran confession would generate uneasy feelings, not the awe that she had showed. It had almost been a whole week since their first encounter and Lucas couldn't help but feel hopeful that there was a chance Brooke would be back at Saint Paul's Church tomorrow night. Stopping himself from thinking anymore about her, Lucas scoffed at himself. He didn't even know her last name and only had a 2-minute conversation with her and the number of times he had found her in his thoughts was kinda pathetic.

It was official: Lucas Scott needed to get laid.

Glancing down at his watch, Lucas let out a muffled sigh when he realized he only had about an hour before he had to leave for work and catch a subway into Manhattan. With the Knicks season over after their defeat in the playoffs, Lucas wouldn't have the nightly basketball games to listen to on the small transistor radio inside the booth. And now that the legendary Carmello Anthony was playing along side his half-brother, Nathan Scott, Lucas had even more of a passion for his brothers team. That had always effectively killed a couple hours. But now with his luck, only a few stations would come in clearly and he'd be stuck listening to Delilah, radio's Oprah, all fucking night.

Trudging from his kitchen to his bathroom, Lucas peeled his white Hanes v-neck over his head before turning his shower on. He stared at himself in the mirror. His icy blue eyes glanced at the ugly, jagged scar on his torso. It still pained him to look at it, or think about how it had got there. Lucas quickly shoved the memory out of his mind and took off his sweats and slid out of his blue and white plaid boxers. The shower in his apartment was nothing special. There was a guarantee that he'd get scalded within the first minute of washing off. It was as if anyone flushed within a 3-mile radius his ass would be burnt. The cool water hit Lucas' back hard, washing away a day's worth of sweat and grime. He ran his hands over his head, his stainless steel dog tags still clutching to his chest. Lucas was under the impression that if he didn't shower right before work, he wouldn't be able to stay awake all night to guard the parking lot.

* * *

><p>Brooke Davis sat alone in silence for the first time all day in her cluttered office. She had been in and out of meetings the majority of the afternoon. And it seemed to Brooke that no matter how much time was spent in a meeting, nothing ever got accomplished. So once again, she found another day wasted. Glancing down at her Cartier watch, the tiny brunette sighed quietly noticing it was just past 5pm and all she wanted to do was go back to her apartment and relax. But no, she had to spend her night at yet another fashion show to check out new designers. That was Brooke's job, finding fresh ideas and designers for her mother's company. This was the price she paid for agreeing to work for her mother. Her social life had slowly but surely disappeared as she began to do more and more of the grunt work for the company. Thinking back, Brooke had no room to complain- she knew what she was getting herself into two years ago. Rather than have to take a risk, she chose to take a stable job that would lead a relatively comfortable lifestyle. But recently Brooke felt as if she was drowning. She was drowning from a life full of her mother's expectations, desperately seeking a life vest- a chance to live her own life.<p>

Tonight before the fashion show, she had to meet up with an advertisement sales representative for Vogue, at least that was how Victoria made it seem. Brooke knew it was going to be more than that. This wouldn't be the first time her mother had attempted to set her up on a meeting that was more like a blind date. All she knew about this guy was his name: Felix, and his occupation. That in itself surprised Brooke. It wasn't very often that you found a straight man working at a fashion magazine. But she wouldn't question it; she was good at playing along. If it meant a free meal, Brooke was willing to oblige.

As she looked around her mess of an office, she couldn't help but notice that it was already Tuesday, almost a week since she had met Lucas. Although she had no reason to go back to St. Paul's tomorrow night, she felt as if she had to. The Iraq veteran had been occupying her dreams every night since they had met. In her dreams, the broody blonde remained silent. He merely wove in and out of her deepest thoughts. There was something about Lucas that had left Brooke wanting to know more. And it didn't hurt that he was one of the more attractive men she had seen in months. With all the work her mothers company had been shoving her way, Brooke hadn't really had much of a life. Despite all of the extravagant parties she had been to because of her mother, Brooke wasn't given the opportunity to unwind and relax: work was work. She had a reputation to uphold- embarrassing the company would be unacceptable. It was official: Brooke Davis needed to get laid.

She left her office in a hurry knowing she still had to get dressed for tonight. Brooke had met Felix briefly and from what she could see he was full of himself. Felix had talked about himself for what seemed like hours and never gave her the chance to speak. And when he had stopped talking to breathe, Felix had only interrupted Brooke mid sentence to continue trying to impress her. Tonight would be no different. It was as if this guy would want her to have Helen Keller's handicaps for the evening so he could boost his own ego while she would be alone with only her own thoughts for the entire evening. Unknown to Brooke, Lucas Scott would be in that same position.

* * *

><p>Lucas Scott sat on a stool in the cramped attendant booth of the parking lot that was under his watch. The scratchy feedback from the radio bounced from the cement ground to the cheap tin roof. The blond banged impatiently on the radio stupidly, trying to get a better signal. It was times like these that Lucas regretted agreeing to take this job up. But something had to pay for his Rolling Rock at the end of the night. And the bills were important too. For a Tuesday night at 7:30, the lot was filling up at a fairly steady pace. Businessmen in their BMW's and Jaguars had eyed him up and down for the past hour. Lucas suspected they thought he would try to break in and steal whatever he could get his hands on. Or there were the cougars that had winked at him and slipped him a crumpled $10 bill to take extra special care of their luxury cars. Sure the random tips were nice and paid for his cigarettes, but the fact that people instantly perceived him as a thief or a welfare case only pissed Lucas off. He had struggled his whole life but had always managed to get by without anyone's help. His half brother constantly offered to lend him a little bit of his millions, but Lucas refused every time. Call it stubbornness or stupidity, but Lucas was too proud to take anything more than a free meal or some tickets from Nathan. Lucas would rather earn everything he had than take it from someone.<p>

The next half hour slowly trudged on, the minutes slowly but surely ticked away from his life. Around 8:15 a pair of headlines blinded Lucas momentarily before he straightened up in his seat dug his hands into his pocket, pulling out a wad of cash in case he needed to make change. Whoever was in the jet-black Audi wasn't facing him and was leaned over into the passengers seat searching for god knew what. Lucas exited the booth and lit a cigarette, waiting for this woman with long brown locks to roll down her slightly tinted window and pay him. Ashing on the tip of his cigarette, Lucas lightly tapped on the glass and laughed to himself when the woman jumped up. As the windowed automatically disappeared, Lucas did a double take before opening his mouth. "Moral support girl?" He asked, not sure if his oceanic hues were playing tricks on him. "Brooke?"

Hearing her name was the last thing Brooke Davis was expecting at a parking lot. She stopped fishing for cash in her bag and turned her head with a quizzical expression on her face. Her hazel eyes opened widely when she saw the source of the deep voice. Not knowing what to say, Brooke peeked further out of the window and grinned. "Lucas from last week?" She felt her heart beat a little faster out of sheer nerves and curiosity. "That has to be you, same boots, same smell." She saw a small smile threaten to overcome his features. "Jeez, both times we've met you scare the shit out of me and while smoking. Is this your method of picking up ladies?"

Lucas laughed and took another drag off of his cigarette as he stepped away from his post at the booth and towards her car. "It must be working. You've managed to find me twice. I haven't had to do anything." He paused for a moment and glanced around the lot, seeing plenty of open spaces. Waving his hand around the entirety of his domain, Lucas brought his attention back to Brooke. "You can park wherever. On the house, just don't tell my boss if you come back here again. Although getting fired wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to me." Lucas watched as Brooke pieced the information together and couldn't help but feel mildly embarrassed as she merely nodded and drove away, parking into the closest spot to his booth.

Brooke yanked her keys out of the ignition and threw them into her clutch before carefully exiting from the drivers' side. Even with her black stilettos she came nowhere near Lucas' height. Eyeing him as she approached his towering figure, Brooke couldn't help but grin slightly at his appearance. Sure smoking was quite detrimental to his health, but he made lung cancer look so sexy. Noticing his dog tags still proudly on display, Brooke grabbed a hold of them and yanked Lucas closer to her. "Lucas Scott," Brooke read aloud before releasing him from her grasp, "are you too busy to walk me a couple blocks? I don't bite, I promise."

Without skipping a beat, Lucas nodded his head with his cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He glanced around the parking lot with a wry grin stretching across his features. "You want to get me in trouble, don't you?" He asked while taking a drag. "But you're looking nice tonight, special occasion? Or is this just another day in the life of Moral Support Girl?" Lucas began walking and couldn't help but grin as the tiny brunette linked her arm through his. It was obvious now that she was confident, which only made his attraction grow for her.

With a dimpled smile, Brooke stared at the concrete as her heels clicked with each stride she took with Lucas. "Just another night outside of the office: dinner with a sales rep from Vogue then a sitting by a catwalk. It's nothing I'm really looking forward too. You're making my night exciting, Mr. Scott." She ran her hand over her short black dress, smoothing out any possible creases or wrinkles. She noticed his wall crack as a small smile tugged at his lips. Taking the silence that still hung between him as a chance to talk more, Brooke tugged at his arm and let out a small sigh. "So what time do you get off work?"

Lucas' nerves slowly began to fade away once Brooke seemingly broke the ice. He exhaled slowly with his head tilted towards the dark sky, making sure the smoke wouldn't drift in Brooke's general direction. "Around one. Why? What time does this night outside the office end?"

The tiny brunette flashed a dimpled smile before pursing her lips tightly together. "Hmmm, probably a little earlier than your night does. But who knows, maybe I could wait up for you." Brooke was going to have to pick her car up anyway, and if Lucas were there, leaving wouldn't be as easy this time. Turning her head Lucas' voice, Brooke smiled to herself when he nodded in agreement. "That'd be nice. Listening to shitty after hour radio gets old quite fast. And apparently talking to yourself for long periods of time can quality you as a clinically insane, so you'd be doing me a favor." He took another drag before flicking his cigarette to the ground. He felt comfortable around this stranger. Despite knowing he was battling his demons, this girl was still giving him the time of day.

As they circled the corner, Brooke pointed to a dimly lit restaurant with numerous black town cars pulled over beside the establishment. "That's where I'm headed. Another dinner with another scumbag." Lucas scowled slightly and rolled his blue eyes. "Scumbag? Why waste your time then?" She let out a small breath and stopped, unknowingly patting Lucas over the jagged scar on his chest. "It's part of the job. I just have to keep my boss, or my mother, content. All I have to do is talk business for about 15 minutes and then smile, look pretty, and pretend to give two shits about what this guy is saying."

The pair crossed the street and approached the pair of glass doors. Lucas tried to comprehend everything she had just told him as he dug his hands into his pockets. "Well if you aren't happy with your job, you shouldn't feel committed to stay there." Brooke let a dry, sarcastic laugh out unexpectedly and shook her head. "I don't have much of a choice in that matter." Lucas then offered her a small smile and pointed to his dog tags. "I know the feeling, trust me. Easier said than done, I know."

He stopped in front of the doors, receiving looks from those entering and leaving the restaurant. Glancing down at himself, Lucas realized his combat boots, jeans, and gray T-shirt would have made him underdressed for a place like this. It wasn't until now that it hit him how different he was from Brooke. They were from two completely different worlds, yet here they were now.

Brooke noticed his icy blue orbs were squinted as if he were deep in thought and laughed. It was if as he said more when he was silent than when he spoke. "Jesus, Broody. You'll have plenty of time to think when you're back in that parking lot. Right now would be a perfect time to get my number."

Lucas raised both of his eyebrows in shock at Brooke before regaining his composure with a wry smirk. "How about I ask you out instead?" A new confidence was building up inside of Lucas and he wasn't sure where it was coming from, he just hoped he hadn't crossed the line. The look on Brooke's face made it seem that he was okay though. She leaned into him slightly, brushing her lips against his cheek before walking away towards the restaurant. "I was hoping you'd say that, Mr. Scott."

Watching as the doorman opened the door for Brooke, Lucas kept his eyes patiently focused on her tiny frame as her head peeked over her shoulder. With her dimples fully exposed, she called out in her raspy voice. "Way to go, solider."

* * *

><p>Walking back to his booth, Lucas didn't know if he was more nervous than he was excited. He hadn't really seriously taken a girl out in years. And he clearly didn't have the money to take Brooke to a place as fancy as the restaurant she was at now. The grin that had overtaken his face was permanent. For the first time since he had been back in the States, he had something and someone to look forward to.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Good? Yes? No? Maybe So? I know it's been months since I've updated, and I apologize. Life just got in the way. Review please! I'll be speedier, I promise. <strong>


	3. Up All Night

Shortly after entering the double glass doors, Brooke was led to the corner of the busy restaurant. Forcing a smile on her face as she approached Felix Taggaro, the brunette kept reminding herself that this was a business function and she could not slap the smug shit-eating grin off of his face. His black, buggy eyes were gleaming, fixated clearly on her chest rather than her own pair of hazel orbs. From what it looked like, he was already halfway finished with what Brooke hoped was his first glass of merlot. Taking in a sharp breath of the perfectly air conditioned oxygen, Brooke sat down feeling like she had just been pushed off the Brooklyn Bridge. She was here now, and there was no going back. Felix hadn't bothered to get up when she arrived. He simply remained seated, holding his wine glass in fashion that made Brooke even further question his sexuality. With a polite smile, Brooke cleared her throat and instinctively unfolded her napkin before gracefully placing it on her lap.

"Mr. Taggaro, it's nice to see you." Brooke had always been good at lying. She could help but feel her stomach turn in disgust as he sipped at his wine and began waving his hand at her as if to stop her from speaking. "Please, Brooke. Call me Felix. We aren't in a conference room." He leaned back into his chair and flagged the waiter down obnoxiously as if he were royalty. Brooke had known people like Felix growing up. Granted, she had been raised in that type of environment for the most part, but she was so thankful she hadn't turned into the stereotypical trust fund baby. They had everything handed to them on a silver platter and acted as if they owned the world and everyone else was just inconveniently living in it.

The waiter quickly made his way to the pair and Felix scoffed slightly when he nervously bumped into the table. "She'll take a martini. Dirty." He said, emphasizing the last word as if to imply that he was going to get lucky tonight. Brooke cleared her throat before the waiter could slip away. "Oh, no that's okay. I was thinking I'd rather drink water instead, if you don't mind sir." Felix rolled his eyes and laughed as the poor waiter stood there awkwardly. "Brooke, please. Relax a little, have some fun. I insist."

Brooke remained quiet for a moment, debating if she would feed into his little game. Biting her lip in thought, Brooke brought her attention back to the waiter with wide eyes. "I'll take a gin and tonic, please." She didn't get what Felix thought he was doing, ordering her a drink. She was completely capable of making a decision for herself. But having her mothers line as featured advertisement in one of the most respected fashion magazines was far too much important to let her personal feelings towards Felix jeopardize the deal. It was going to be a long night, that was certain, but her motivation was seeing Lucas Scott in the nearing hours. And if alcohol helped speed the process up, why not relax a little bit?

* * *

><p>The night seemed to pass slowly for Lucas. He forced himself to keep his phone tucked deeply inside his pocket because the night passed much more slowly when he checked the time every couple of minutes. Thinking back to what had transpired outside of the restaurant, Lucas felt a sudden panic wash over him. Brooke appeared to live in the lap of luxury, or at least she was an upper class citizen. He couldn't exactly afford taking her to dinner that would cost more than a week's paycheck. But then again, Lucas wasn't exactly the type of guy that found going out to eat an idea of a good date. He wanted to impress her- that was for sure. But he wasn't going to pretend to be someone he wasn't. Taking a sharp breath in, Lucas pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. Brooke had to be close to finishing her meal with some douchebag, right? Burning questions and all, Lucas had bigger fish to fry. Not bothering to think twice, Lucas scrolled through his contacts until he came across his brother's number.<p>

Hearing Nathan's voice on the other line, Lucas suddenly felt somewhat guilty. The two weren't as close as they had been before Lucas went on his second tour of Iraq. They had made it a weekly ritual to spend Sunday nights together. Now the only weekly ritual Lucas had was attending AA meetings.

"Lucas! What's up man? I haven't seen you in a while." Lucas could sense the concern and caution in Nathan. It wasn't like they had gotten into a fight, just sort of lost touch. When Lucas had been going through his own shit, Nathan had been wrapping up the post season with the Knicks and spending time together had taken the back seat. Clearing his throat, Lucas grinned. "I'm good, Nate. I'm trying to get everything back together again." He paused momentarily and exhaled. "Which would be pretty hard to do without you and Haley, so I was wondering if we could have Sunday dinner this week?"

Nathan didn't even bother hiding the surprise in his voice. "Of course, Luke. I mean, I'll have to ask Hales but just plan on coming over. " Lucas laughed and shook his head to himself. Growing up, Nathan had never been pussy whipped. But his whole attitude changed once he met Haley. "Alright man, sounds good. And I need a favor, nothing big I promise."

"What can I do for you big brother?" Lucas debated not asking Nathan, but he figured there was no harm in asking. "You see, there's this girl…" And before he could even get the words out, Nathan's booming laugh on the other end almost broke his eardrum.

* * *

><p>As 12:30 rolled around, Brooke Davis quietly exited the venue of the fashion show alone. She had managed to get through the dinner with Felix. Although keeping her mouth shut had been a bit of a challenge. It had become obvious that Felix had been more interested in getting in her pants than discussing anything work related, yet Brooke had managed to pull it off. Pleasing Victoria wasn't an easy task, but there was no way she wouldn't be happy now. At this rate, Brooke was going to be completely burnt out by the weekend. That's usually how her weeks seemed to pan out.<p>

Feeling a slight breeze brush past her, Brooke let out a small sigh as she ran a hand through her hair. She was glad she had decided to drive herself, even besides the fact that she had run into Lucas again. Taking a taxi was a pain in the ass after events like this, and being dressed up was no fun on the subway. But she couldn't help but feel like she was 12 again: Lucas had managed to make her grin like an idiot and given her a serious case of the butterflies. There was something so completely raw about him, which for Brooke was quite refreshing. He didn't seem to care if she was impressed with him or not. Even if he wasn't completely perfect, he wasn't the type to change for anyone. As Brooke made her way around the dimly lit street, a small smile tugged on her lips as she noticed a small cloud of smoke hovering over a dark, lanky figure in the parking lot. She supposed she was going to have to get used to the smoke.

Lucas exhaled slowly, the smoke billowing up into the night sky. And as if it were on cue, the familiar sound of heels hitting the asphalt caused him to whip his head around. Not wanting to seem too eager, Lucas dangled his cigarette out of the corner of his mouth and slowly made his way to meet Brooke. She was unfailingly beautiful, that was one thing he was certain of after only meeting her twice. It was obvious to him that she was equally as happy to see him, judging from the dimpled smile that was etched on her features. Squinting his blue eyes to get a better look at her, Lucas grinned widely as the space between them significantly decreased.

"You smoke too much, Broody." Lucas laughed and shook his head to himself before removing the Marlboro from his lips. "Oh hey, Brooke. It's great to see you too." A small feeling of importance washed over him as she once again linked her arm through his. "And what can I say? We all have our demons. But I need help staying awake at this hour."

Rolling her hazel eyes, Brooke shook her head in disapproval. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's what they all say. Place the blame on something else." She paused momentarily and took a breath amidst their comfortable silence. There was a calming presence about Lucas that, in a way, made Brooke feel safe. "Aren't you going to ask me how my night went?" She piped up enthusiastically.

"Oh, right. How rude of me. How was dinner with that asshole?" Lucas tried not to sound jealous despite how the idea of Brooke dining with a prick made his skin crawl. Brooke shrugged slightly and scrunched her nose. "Eh, it was what I expected. But I managed to get the business deal sealed." She tilted her head up to get a glimpse of Lucas who was taking another drag with his brow furrowed. "Well, that's good at least. But a pretty girl like you shouldn't have to spend time with a douche bag." Brooke smiled quietly to herself-glad that Lucas wasn't looking at her to see her cheeks turn a light shade of pink.

They approached the parking lot slowly. The cars had slowly but surely began filtering out since Brooke had gone to dinner. And Lucas had been thankful for that. It meant now he could pretty much devote his full attention to the brunette who had somehow managed to occupy his thoughts for an entire week. He unlinked their arms and leaned back against the small booth with a wry grin. "So what's your take on sporting events?" His icy blue eyes were on fire, excited but nervous his plan for the weekend wouldn't be good enough. Brooke turned towards him curiously and shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, I've never been a diehard fan of anything. But I guess I always had fun cheerleading for my high school's basketball team and going to college games. I've never been to anything professional."

Lucas felt his mouth open slightly. Clearing his throat after a second, he shook his head to himself and grinned. "Wait, you live in New York: a city that has like six teams representing it and you've never been to a game?" Brooke shook her head and laughed, lightly hitting Lucas on the shoulder. "Shut up, Lucas! I've just never had time, I guess." Pretending like he was hurt, Lucas rubbed his shoulder with a sly smirk before flicking his cigarette to the ground.

"Well we're going to a day game on Sunday. My favorite team is playing the Mets, so you're in luck. And my brother scored me some killer seats so you won't be stuck way up in the nosebleeds. Jesus, Pretty Girl…what would you do without me? Baseball is America's pastime." Lucas sighed to himself and dug his hands into his pockets, smiling to himself when he saw Brooke's face light up.

"A Mets game, huh? Not bad, Broody." Although Brooke would have been content doing anything with Lucas. "So who are they playing?" She was curious, wondering if it would shed any light onto where he was from.

"The Phillies." He stated simply with a dazed grin. "They're rivals, so when you see drunk Mets fans throwing shit at me, don't be surprised." Aside from the Knicks, Lucas strongly disliked New York teams. At least the Giants and the Rangers. And the Mets, of course.

Brooke nodded as if she understood what the hell he was talking about and cleared her throat. "You're from Philly, then? Originally?" Confused when Lucas shook his head no, Brooke decided not to pry and leaned against the booth. "North Carolina, actually. But I visited my uncle in Philadelphia whenever I got the chance. What about you? New Yorker to the core?"

"I mean, I didn't live in the city. I grew up on Long Island- out east." Lucas nodded to himself with a small smile. "So we both grew up on the water, that's one thing we've got in common. Although I have a feeling we may have more things underneath the surface."

Brooke remained silent for a moment, feeling herself get completely lost in his oceanic hues. He was a complete mystery to her, but she was hoping to peel back some of his layers as the weekend approached. "You surprise me, Mr. Scott. In a good way." She watched as Lucas nodded with a grin. "I do what I can. But look, my shift is up. I won't keep you any longer, I'm sure you've had a long night and I gotta catch the subway." Before he got a chance to continue, Brooke interrupted him with a wave of a perfectly manicured hand. "I'll drive you. No questions asked: it's the least I can do since you let me park for free." Lucas eyed her skeptically and squinted. "Are you sure? I live in the Bronx."

Brooke merely nodded and walked to her Audi, unlocking it with a click of her keys as she waved him over. "Come on Lucas, it's not a big deal. Besides, you need to get my number." That was really all she needed to say to get him hooked- he knew she was right. Quickly gathering his belongings out of the booth, Lucas jogged after her as his combat boots stamped loudly on the ground. He slid into the passengers seat and took a glance around the all black leather interior. "Nice ride." He said quietly, as he nervously drummed his fingertips on his knees. The car was probably worth more than his entire apartment. "It's just a car. Nothing special." She replied just as quietly. There were times when Brooke wondered if she had made the right decision to work for her mother. She had sacrificed a lot to get to this point- another thing she supposed her and Lucas shared. All the money in the world can't fill a lonely void in life. Trying not to get lost in her own thoughts, Brooke brought her gaze to Lucas momentarily before bringing her attention back to the road.

"I don't mean to pry and you don't have to answer me. But why did you decided to enlist?" Brooke could hear the hesitance in the silence that followed her question. To be honest, Lucas wasn't exactly sure how to answer her. Inhaling quietly, Lucas ran a hand over his head, brushing his fingers through his hair. "Well, when I graduated high school I didn't exactly have enough money to cover tuition, and I didn't get the basketball scholarship I was banking on. The service seemed like a good option. I wanted to feel like I was doing something important…like I was apart of something bigger than me, that I was making a difference." He paused and laughed dryly. "And maybe I did belong. But after you go overseas, nothing is ever the same. I just wish I could go back to being hopeful in the goodness of mankind. It was a lot easier being naive."

Brooke remained silent knowing anything she said wouldn't sound as poetic as the words he just spoke. She almost cursed herself for being so damn nosey, but Lucas didn't seem to mind answering her questions. "Lucas, there's always hope." Brooke whispered quietly before glancing at him again. His head was pressed against the window- his blue eyes looking out on the fully lit skyline. He then cleared his throat and tried to lift the mood.

"I just realized I don't even know you're last name. You're Brooke. You live in Manhattan. You were a cheerleader in high school. And you've never been to a pro sports game. Some come on Pretty Girl, I need some basics." Brooke rolled her eyes and laughed as she gripped tighter on the steering wheel. "My, my Mr. Scott, you actually listen to me when I ramble. Brooke Davis is what I'm generally called. I'm head of PR at my mom's company. Is that what you're looking for?" Lucas paused a moment and kept his eyes patiently focused on Brooke with a grin. "That'll be all for now, Davis."

As they drove further from Manhattan and closer to his apartment, it became obvious that the South Bronx wasn't exactly the most ideal neighborhood to live in. As Lucas began directing Brooke through the streets, he began to worry that she wouldn't exactly be able to get back to her place. "Are you sure you'll be okay getting back? You know I'm going to be up all night thinking that you got stranded or something."

"Lucas! Relax I'll be fine. I can take care of myself." Brooke wasn't exactly familiar with the Bronx. Usually someone with her background only ventured to the South BX was there to pick up drugs. It was clear Lucas wasn't convinced. "I promise." The brooding blond eased up slightly and motioned for her to pull over in front of an apartment building with a crowded stoop. As the car came to a stop, Brooke killed the engine and brought her attention to him. "Give me your phone." It was more of a command than a statement. Lucas obliged with a grin and handed his shitty flip phone over. Watching as she quickly punched her number into his contacts, Lucas raised his eyebrows and laughed. "God, you're a demanding one. Aren't you?" Brooke eyed him threateningly and tossed his phone back. "You know you love it, Scott." She took his silence as an agreement and contently watched as Lucas found her name in his phone with a shit-eating grin across his face.

"Would you be opposed to joining me for a beer in my apartment?" He asked nervously. Lucas didn't want to pressure Brooke or anything. And maybe it would've helped if they hadn't met at an AA meeting. Brooke smiled softly to herself. Compared to Felix, she honestly believed Lucas sincerely wanted to have a conversation with her- that he wasn't just trying to get laid. Maybe she was naive for thinking that, but Brooke somewhat trusted this almost stranger. Nodding her head, Brooke pulled the keys out of the ignition. "Just one…or two. I have to work tomorrow morning." Brooke was surprised in herself. She hadn't done spontaneous things like this since college. Grabbing her clutch and keys, she jumped slightly when she heard her door open and was equally as shocked to see Lucas holding it open for her, with his hand extended out for her to grab.

"Stay close," he said under his breath so the guys on his stoop couldn't hear him, "just in case." Lucas didn't trust these guys. Night after sleepless night he always heard the catcalls and yelling at innocent pedestrians. He wasn't expecting them to do anything, but he didn't want Brooke to feel uncomfortable. After she locked her door, Brooke slid her hand into his and slowly got out of the car. Lucas led her up the stairs and bit the inside of his cheek when he heard loud whistles and applause in his general direction. Brooke, on the other hand, found it relatively amusing and tried to hide the small grin that had spread on her lips.

"Fuckin pigs…" he mumbled once he unlocked the door to his building. Brooke laughed as the door shut behind them. "Broody, relax. You're too serious." Lucas shook his head and began walking up the stairs of the old building towards the fourth floor. "I just don't get how guys who constantly brag about getting laid spend every single night on that stoop with all other dudes. It's a sausage fest. Baffles me." With a small smile, Brooke patted him on the back as she followed him down a dimly lit hallway. "There are something's none of us will ever understand, don't worry."

Lucas fumbled with his keys and stopped in front of a green door with a golden 41 hanging on it. Unlocking his door, he suddenly felt mildly self-conscious about the state of his apartment. "It's not much, but it's enough for me." He began picking up empty beer bottles and various articles of clothing the second they entered his apartment. Brooke couldn't help but grin at how nervous he was. She glanced around the small apartment and walked deeper in, placing her clutch on the couch and kicking her shoes off simultaneously. It was everything you'd expect a single guy's apartment to look like. She made her way to his turntable and began flicking through his record collection, which was fairly impressive. Hearing Lucas' voice caused her to jump slightly and turn around quickly.

"Rolling Rock okay?" Lucas didn't bother waiting for an answer. "It's all I've got, so take it or leave it Davis." Handing her the green glass bottle, Lucas motioned her to follow him and walked deeper into his apartment. She followed out of curiosity and raised her eyebrows quizzically when he was climbing a set of stairs. At the top, a door that read 'Roof Access' was quickly opened, letting a rush of night air through her chocolate locks.

On the roof, Lucas had conveniently stored two folding chairs facing the New York skyline. There were plenty of empties up here too, as well as a filthy ashtray. Lucas had already sat down in one of the chairs and twisted the lid off of his bottle and Brooke followed suit. Clinking his bottle against hers, Lucas took a long swig before letting a breath of relief out. "This right here, is my own paradise. Granted, it's a little shitty but I like it." Brooke raised the cold bottle to her lips and took a small sip as she took in the breathtaking view. "It's beautiful, Lucas."

He paused only to take another long swig of the pale ale. "It's one of the few places where I can clear my head and just escape everything." Sliding his hand into his pocket, Lucas grabbed his pack of Marlboro Mediums and yanked one from the flip top box. Beer and cigarettes complimented each other quite well. "Is this where you bring all the ladies, Scott? Try to impress them with a romantic sight like this and then hope for the best?" Brooke poked her tongue out at him as Lucas laughed and exhaled a cloud of smoke. Sure, he did alright from time to time. But this was the first time he had brought anyone into his apartment. "Not exactly. A cooler usually occupies the chair you're sitting in if I don't feel like walking back and forth to the fridge. Why? Is it working?"

Brooke shrugged nonchalantly and continued drinking her beer. "Maybe. Maybe not. It's an impressive sight, though." She tried to hide her smirk but failed miserably before re-quoting herself form earlier that night. "There's always hope. Even for you." Grinning at the sound of his laugh, Brooke sunk deeper into the plastic chair and crossed her legs, dangling her right foot in the air. She noticed her beer was half full in comparison to his empty. It was apparent he tended to suffer alone, not really letting anyone see the broken side of him. Taking another long swig to get on his level, Brooke placed her empty bottle on the rooftop. "Do you ever wonder what life would be like if you had made one decision differently?"

Lucas allowed smoke to slip out of his mouth as he pondered Brooke's question with his empty hanging from his fingertips. "I play the 'what-if' game everyday, Brooke. If one, seemingly small detail of our lives had been different I don't think we'd be here right now. Imagine how many coincidences and all the insignificant decisions we've subconsciously made in order to meet each other." He offered her a soft smile as he took another drag. "And to be honest, I'm completely content here with you."

Eyeing him with amazement, Brooke ignored the sudden urge she had to jump on top of him and merely nodded contently to his response. He had a way with words that was for certain. Brooke saw so much more in him than just a parking lot attendant. Checking her watch, she almost shat herself seeing that 3 am was rapidly approaching. "I'm sorry, I've gotta leave you, Lucas. I have to be at work in 5 hours." She pouted until Lucas nodded understandingly. He stood up and flicked his cigarette off the roof. "Not a problem, Pretty Girl." He said as he extended his hand out to help her up, which Brooke gladly accepted.

"I'm glad I met you, Lucas." She stated quietly, keeping her hazel eyes glued to his as she kept her hand in his, "I needed this tonight." Brooke watched as Lucas nodded in agreement. His smirk slowly faded which resulted in her heart beating heavily.

Lucas craned his neck down, lightly brushing the tip of his nose against hers as his eyes flickered shut. He figured he might as well take a chance on something for once in his life. The pad of his thumb traced along her cheek and he placed his free hand on the small of her back, pulling them closer together before his lips softly crashed into hers, satisfied when Brooke deepened the kiss. Once Lucas pulled away, Brooke's eyes lingered shut momentarily before they fluttered opened to come across Lucas Scott's signature dopey smirk. "Here, come on. I'll walk you to your car."

She had been completely taken aback by his gesture and it took her a few seconds to regain her composure before she trailed after him. Lucas wasn't going to try to pull anything on her, he respected her too much. He checked to make sure she hadn't left anything behind on their way out, with her shoes in hand.

The stoop was still packed with all the guys that had been lurking them from earlier. Lucas cleared his throat loudly and almost instantly they parted like the Red Sea to give them a trail. Brooke tugged at her dress to make sure it wasn't riding up as Lucas protectively placed his hand in hers. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt him give her hand a tiny squeeze. It was the little things like this that made her believe Lucas was a good guy, different from the rest.

Standing outside of her car, Lucas felt like he was missing her already. He couldn't help but think fate was playing some role in their lives. It was far too unreal that she had run into him again after occupying his dreams for the past week. It was as if they had found each other in this crazy messed up universe. Brooke was fun, new, and refreshing. She had reminded him that the positive, carefree side of him still existed. Lightly brushing his lips against hers again, Lucas released his hand from hers with a wry grin before softly kissing her forehead. "Meet me in Grand Central at 10 Sunday morning. I'll be by the clock."

Brooke nodded with a wide smile as she stood on her tippy toes and kissed him one last time. "Sunday? Are you sure you'll be able to wait that long to see me, Solider?" She asked, laughing before she opened the door on the drivers side and slid in. "I can't wait, Broody." And with that, she closed the door and headed back towards Manhattan, leaving Lucas standing alone in the street only to be cheered by the street rats on his stoop.

* * *

><p><strong>Once again, sorry it's been so long. Combination of school work and writers block. Please review! Let me know what you think. <strong>


	4. First Date

The following morning, Brooke Davis woke up abruptly to her alarm buzzing obnoxiously. As if the clock were a mosquito biting at her soft skin, Brooke slammed her manicured hand on the alarm with a loud groan. She had never been much of a morning person, let alone someone who ran on four hours of sleep. 7:30 had come far too soon for her own liking. The sunlight had crept through the glass paned windows of her penthouse apartment, beckoning Brooke to get up and start her day. With a quiet yawn, the brunette rubbed her eyes before tossing her sheets off of her tiny frame- the cool morning air sending shivers down her spine. As her bare feet quietly pattered on the hardwood floor of her bedroom, Brooke instinctively grabbed her phone, knowing full well that she'd have an earful of a voicemail from her mother already. Sighing to herself, Brooke stood still for a second. An unknown phone number had left her a text. A small smile surfaced when she realized it was from Lucas at 6AM.

_Hey Davis- Making sure you got home safe. And subliminally reminding you that I'm taking you out this weekend. _

Brooke grinned to herself as her cheeks flushed, her thumbs clicking away on her phone before she replied back.

_Wait who is this? Jussst kidding- don't worry, Solider. I won't forget. _

Surprised at how content she was with her chance encounter turned into a promising weekend, the brunette began her normal weekday routine and headed off to shower in order to begin the workday.

* * *

><p>As noon quickly approached, Brooke had found her workload under control, surprisingly. Victoria had been quite pleased with her daughter and as a reward, stayed the fuck out of her way for the majority of the morning, only popping her head in Brooke's office in order to congratulate her. At this rate Brooke would most likely be able to go home at a decent hour this evening. But just as the day had settled into a peaceful flow, an impatient banging interrupted the silence. Before the brunette even had the opportunity to process what was happening, a bright head of red hair barged through the door.<p>

"Slut! You were supposed to call me after your dinner with Felix!" Rachel wasn't the type to sit around waiting for her phone to ring, but she had been worried that the sleaze-ball had actually managed to slither his way into her friend's pants. Without giving Brooke a chance to defend herself, Rachel absentmindedly swung a white paper bag containing lunch for the two of them on the glossy desk that separated the two of them while rolling her green eyes. "How long did he take? 2 minutes? He's been dying to do the deed since he first met you, the little perv."

Brooke furrowed her brow with a scoff, reaching under her desk for two Diet Cokes in her mini fridge. Lunch had become somewhat of a daily ritual for the two friends. Most days they spent their lunch hours in Brooke's office, seeing that she barely had time to breathe, let alone eat. "Jesus Christ, Rach! I didn't sleep with him! I forgot, I'm sorry. I was preoccupied last night after the show."

Eyeing her suspiciously, Rachel opened the plastic to-go container with a Caesar salad inside it. Brooke wasn't exactly the easiest person to read, but the red head knew when something was up. "Preoccupied? Preoccupied with what? You ALWAYS find time to bitch to me about some pathetic excuse of a date your mom sets you up with."

Brooke poked at her own salad and tried to nonchalantly shrug her shoulders as if it were no big deal. "I ran into someone we met last week, you know in Brooklyn."

Without fail, Rachel gasped loudly before automatically checking to make sure the door was shut behind them (which it was) as if they were still living at home where siblings or parents could eavesdrop on their conversation. Leaning over the desk to minimize the space between them, Rachel whispered with a sly smirk. "Who? Don't tell me they were in the restaurant with you, Felix could tell your bitch of a mother."

Brooke merely shook her head and took a bite of her green lunch, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. Rachel squinted as if she were thinking intensely back to the previous week. Her eyes opened widely before she laughed loudly, no longer concerned if someone could hear here through the heavy door. "You little whore! It was that hot blond guy! I can tell by the look on your face!" She paused for a split second, shaking her head to herself in disbelief. "Only you, Brooke Davis. So go ahead, tell me, how was it?"

Not understanding how Rachel always just assumed everyone acted just like her, Brooke lightly slammed her hand on her desk before cracking open her 12 oz aluminum can. "Hey whore, just because we're best friends doesn't mean we have the same sex life." Rachel rolled her eyes and shifted in her seat, waiting for Brooke to continue. "He was the lot attendant where I parked my car. He let me park for free and then walked me to the restaurant. And then I guess I stayed with him until his shift ended and offered the poor guy a ride home."

Not sure where this was going, Rachel held her hand up to interrupt her friend. She was aware of their little encounter outside the AA meeting, but that had only been like two seconds. "Wait, wait, wait. How did a brief introduction a week ago somehow turn into 'Let's-drive-a-random-guy-I-met-at -AA-home? Not like I'm judging here, because let's face it: I was there too, but still."

Shrugging her shoulders again, Brooke remained silent until she swallowed the romaine lettuce in her mouth. "He was really sweet, Rachel. When I went up to his apartment-"

"You went upstairs with him!" Rachel couldn't contain herself. This was the most interaction with straight members of the opposite sex her friend had gotten in a while, at least to her knowledge. "And you didn't sleep with him? Wow, I'm impressed Bitch. What'd you do, then?"

Annoyed from the constant interjections and interruptions, Brooke sighed heavily and took another sip of the Diet Coke. "Well shit, I'd tell you if you kept your damn mouth shut for more than 2 seconds." Poking her tongue out at Rachel, Brooke laughed and felt her cheeks turn pink again. "He asked me if I wanted a beer, I accepted, and we drank on the roof of his building. I'm going out with him on Sunday."

Whether or not she was impressed or shocked, Rachel sat silently with wide eyes momentarily. "Well, is it going to be a strictly platonic Sunday?" She wasn't sure what exactly to think of this whole situation, but she trusted Brooke's judgment. The brunette shook her head as a dimpled grin surfaced, much to the red head's surprise. "Nah, whore bag. Lucas Scott is one hell of a kisser, that's for sure."

Nodding in approval, Rachel smirked and leaned back in her seat. "I knew the fun, old you was still somewhere in there. So come on, I need details, Brookie. You kinda owe me seeing that you completely forgot to call me."

"I don't know Rach, there's something different about him. He wasn't pushy about anything: a little shy yet confident at the same time. He wasn't scared to be honest. The kind of guy who can have a genuine conversation without staring down your shirt. He didn't expect anything from me…he just wanted my company." Brooke found herself grinning like an idiot just thinking about the night before. "But he's taking me to a Mets game on Sunday."

The red head scrunched her nose at the last bit of information. "A baseball game?" Brooke looked at her pleadingly and tossed away what was left of her salad. "Rach, come on. He was excited." She didn't mind at all- she was just excited to see him again.

"Whatever you say, Brooke." Rachel said, pausing only to let out a dry laugh. "Just imagine what Victoria would say if she found out you ditched Felix for a guy you met at AA."

* * *

><p>Sitting alone at his kitchen table while tapping a pen impatiently against the glossy wood, Lucas Scott let out a frustrated sigh as he tore off a page of yellow lined paper from a notebook, crumpling it before shooting it into his trashcan. It was now 4 in the afternoon and after a couple hours of successful writing, the blond had hit a wall with a serious case of writers block. He wasn't sure what had inspired him to actually write something. But something was telling him meeting Brooke again had something to do with it. Writing had a taken a back seat to drinking recently. And although what he was scribbling down wasn't much, it was better than nothing. Tossing the black pen across the kitchen, Lucas got up to grab a glass of water but was interrupted by an impatient knock at his front door. Puzzled, he trudged towards his front door. It couldn't be the landlord- he always paid his rent on time. Looking through the peephole, a small grin tugged at his lips when he saw a tall brunette in a fisheye scope.<p>

"Nate. What's up man?" He asked as the door opened. It had been a long time since they had seen each other in person, sadly considering they didn't live far from each other.

Nathan pushed his way through the door and eyed the apartment before him. "Jesus, is this the kind of filth I'd live in if I didn't have Haley?" The younger Scott turned to face Lucas before pulling his brother in for a man-hug. "It's good to see you, Luke. Been awhile, the end of the season was crazy. Sorry I haven't dropped by sooner-"

Lucas held his hand up to stop him from going any further as he shook his head back and forth. "Dude, it's my fault just as much as it is yours. " If anything, Lucas placed more blame on himself. It wasn't like his schedule was packed tight the way his brothers was. "But, uh, not to be a dick or anything- what're you doing here?" The blond walked back into the kitchen, opening the fridge to find a couple bottles of Gatorade. He tossed one to Nathan before unscrewing the orange plastic lid on his. "Sight seeing in the Bronx?"

Nathan laughed dryly before pulling an envelope from a pocket in his black jacket. "I came baring gifts." Two tiny rectangular tickets from the envelope found their way to the surface of the kitchen table. Nathan watched as Lucas inspected the seats on the table and grinned before moving towards the couch. "Now I gotta ask you," he called over his shoulder, "who's the chick? I didn't think you had enough game to get one to agree to hang out with you."

Rolling his blue eyes, Lucas scoffed at the sight of his brother sprawled out on his couch. Considering he had no other furniture, Lucas shoved Nathan's legs out of his way and plopped down beside him. "Come on, we both know Scotts do alright." Taking a swig of the bright blue liquid, Lucas shrugged his shoulders with a grin. "And the chick's name is Brooke."

"That's all you're gonna tell me? I go through all this trouble to snag you these tickets for a Sunday game after you asked to come over for Sunday dinner and you're gonna spare me the details?" Nathan had always been the more outgoing and outspoken Scott brother, but he did like getting Lucas flustered.

"Alright, alright! Jesus Christ, Nate. I ran into her last night at work, we hit it off, I walked her to where she had to be, I asked her out, then called you." Lucas breathed. It wasn't that he got embarrassed, but he wasn't one to spill every detail about anything. "But I met her last week at AA- she was there for her friend, not herself." He added quietly, feeling his neck turn red. He hadn't told Nathan or Haley that he could see he had a drinking problem.

Nathan sat silent for a second, nodding to himself and deciding not to pry any more. He took a swig of Gatorade to fill the silence in before glancing over at his brother. "I need a number. 1-10?"

Laughing, Lucas' embarrassment faded away once Nate referred to the scale they had used to compare girls in high school. "A ten. Hands down. Personality and looks."

The younger Scott raised both of his eyebrows and nodded his head in approval. "Damn…I didn't think you had it in you still."

* * *

><p>Sunday had approached far too slowly for Brooke's liking. Her workweek had been packed with meetings, events, and far too many pitches. She spent Saturday locked up in her apartment, sketching her own designs that her mother would probably never look at or even consider to make possible. But Sunday morning she woke up at 8:00 without an alarm. There was no struggle getting out of bed to go see Lucas. Plus she needed the extra time to figure out what the hell she was supposed to wear to a baseball game. Rachel had suggested anything short, tight, and with fishnets. Brooke wasn't sure if she was joking or being serious. She had settled on something simple: skinny jeans and a white V-neck. Lucas didn't seem like a crazy sports nut, but she didn't want to risk wearing any color that would possibly support the Mets. Staying neutral and indifferent was probably her best bet. And she didn't want to come across as high maintenance by wearing designer clothes to a baseball game. Glancing in the mirror, the brunette let out a slow sigh as she began to straighten her hair. "Jesus, Brooke," she said to herself, "calm down. It's a baseball game, what could possibly go wrong?"<p>

At 9:30, Brooke hopped on a subway at an underground station not far from her building. She could feel her nerves tingling already. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous- Lucas seemed as laidback as they come. Maybe it was because she barely knew him, or that she was really into him already- most likely the latter. Brooke wasn't the type to be so trusting or get so excited about seeing someone.

The Grand Central stop approached about twenty minutes later. The air in the subway was thick and sticky with sweat and smog, and Brooke could have sworn she spotted a black rat on the rails of another terminal. Climbing up a couple flights of stairs and riding an escalator, Brooke finally made it to the main level of the enormous station. Not only did subways flood through Grand Central, but trains from Connecticut line also filed into the city at the old station. Glancing up at a familiar ceiling, Brooke smiled to herself sadly recalling the first time she had seen the light blue plaster. Her father had pointed out the fake constellations that were made to resemble a night sky when she had been 4 years old, coming into the city for the first time. She quickly pushed the memory aside before heading to the large clock in the middle of the concourse. Her hazel eyes were searching for the brooder but couldn't find him. Brooke could feel herself panicking slightly- she would never hear the end of it from Rachel if she got stood up. Just as she whipped out her phone to check the time, she felt a soft tap on her shoulder. Turning around, a wide smile lit up her face.

"Why hello, Solider." She grinned before standing on her tippy toes to kiss him on the cheek. Taking the moment to look Lucas up and down, her eyes landed on the bright red Phillies T-shirt he was donning. Sure enough, he was supporting his favorite team.

Lucas stood before Brooke with a dopey looking smirk. "Hey you." He said quietly, while holding a hand behind his back. "You look…amazing, Brooke." That was the truth. There was something about plain t-shirts that Lucas found incredibly sexy. Brooke rolled her eyes, lightly swatting his arm in the process. "Lucas, I'm wearing a T-shirt…" But as she trailed off, Luke shook his head back and forth and let out a dry laugh. "I'm being serious, Brooke. But, I got something for you."

He pulled his arm out from behind his back and presented her with a faded red baseball hat with the white letter 'P' stitched on it. "Well it's more for me, I suppose." Lucas stated honestly. "There's nothing sexier than a pretty girl in Phillies gear."

Laughing Brooke took the hat out of his hand and inspected it. "I don't know, Lucas, I would have suggested flowers or something." Scrunching her nose up, she pretended to be disinterested in his present before she tried it on. "But luckily for you I've been told I look absolutely adorable in a baseball hat." The brunette winked at him and then spun around, modeling her new attire for him. "So how do I look?" Her voice had gotten raspier as if she were teasing him.

Lucas nodded his head in approval with a small grin, lacing his rough fingertips through her delicate hand. "Told you I was right- nothing sexier," he said as he began leading them in the direction of the Uptown 7 subway to Queens. "I mean, I've never seen an unfailingly beautiful girl in a Phil's hat before but I suppose I made an educated guess."

"So this is something you've just fantasized about for years?" Brooke asked, poking fun at him as she swung their arms back and forth like a five year old. "Am I living up to your freshman hard-on expectations?"

She left him speechless for a second. Stammering, Lucas felt himself blush as he kept his gaze on his feet. "I…uh, I guess …"

"Lucas, relax." Brooke laughed, tilting her head back. "I'm just teasing yo-"

"You exceed them." Interrupting Brooke, Lucas figured two could play this game. "If I had seen you as a horndog, high school rat…God knows I wouldn't have been able to contain myself."

But much to his disappointment, Brooke didn't seem at all phased from his attempt at suggestive banter. Tugging at his arm, the tiny brunette stopped him as she leaned up towards him, speaking in a raspy murmur. "Yeah? Would you have taken me to the janitors closet?"

Standing still for a moment, Lucas felt his breath hitch in his throat for a moment. Closing the space between them, he whispered into her perfect lips with a grin. "You're trouble aren't you?" He wasn't going to address her question, knowing fully well she knew what his answer would have been. Not giving a shit that they were in the middle of one of New York City's busiest train stations, Lucas softly kissed Brooke, feeling like he had been deprived from her lips.

* * *

><p>Walking into Citi Field, Brooke was just beginning to understand the extent of the rivalries between the two teams. On the subway, Lucas had been getting comments left and right about his Phillies gear along the lines of 'Go back to Filthadelphia' and 'Philly sucks' but he had remained cool, calm, and collected. At one point he had leaned over and whispered "Muck the Fets" into her ear, causing a lopsided smirk to etch at her features. Being a fan of the visiting team almost reminded Brooke of high school, when all of the less popular, jealous girls used to whisper behind her back.<p>

Lucas had been rambling on and on about the history of the Phillies. It was obvious that he was beyond excited to be at this game. Brooke found it adorable now, but was worried of how he would be if the Mets ended up winning the game. He seemed pretty passionate.

Pulling the tickets from his back pocket, Lucas approached the first base entrance of the stadium and handed them to Mets employee. But before he could tuck the stubs back into his jeans, Brooke interjected and pulled at his arm. "Wait! I want mine."

Looking at her with a perplexed expression, Lucas handed her one with a furrowed brow. "What for?"

Eyes rolling, Brooke answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Because, I always save ticket stubs as a reminder of the day. It's like a memory on a little piece of paper."

Lucas shook his head, chuckling to himself as he handed one of the stubs over to Brooke who in turn examined it. Hazel eyes widened, she looked up at him before taking a double take back to the small paper. The seats were amazing. She wasn't sure how he could afford them. "Lucas…how'd you get these seats?"

Wiggling both eyebrows, he smiled coyly and tucked his hands into his pockets. "I have my ways." His tone changed as he eyed her suspiciously, "I thought you've never been to a sporting event?"

"That doesn't mean I've never been to a concert. Come on, you know I got the best seats in the house for the Spice Girls back in the day."

"Ahh, I should've known." Lucas said jokingly as he wrapped an arm around her as they made their way deeper into the stadium.

* * *

><p>Sitting in the first row behind the Phillies dugout next to Brooke Davis, Lucas Scott couldn't be happier. The smell of the freshly cut grass of the ballpark brought him back to his youth. He eagerly pointed out his favorite players, the pitchers, and best hitters of the team wearing grey and red jerseys. To be honest, Brooke could only comprehended half of what he was saying. Sports weren't exactly her thing.<p>

"So is baseball the only sport you're into, or am I going to be attending football games too?" Brooke asked as she popped some popcorn into her mouth before sipping on a draft beer Lucas had purchased her.

Bringing his attention away from the field and to the brunette sitting next to him. He slid deeper into the blue plastic chair and let a laugh escape his lips. "Football, not so much. Hockey, maybe a game or two. But I love basketball more than anything. My brother plays."

Impressed, Brooke raised both of her eyebrows and gawked at him. "Plays as in professionally?"

"Yeah, for the Knicks. He helped me snag these seats." Lucas swigged at his own beer, slightly embarrassed that he hadn't been able to afford the tickets. "He helped New York get to the playoffs this year. I guess he's a new hero for this city." Lucas always found it funny how much people idolized Nathan.

"So the hero complex runs in your blood?" Brooke smiled softly at Lucas. His brother may have been famous for keeping the morale of a city alive, but Lucas risked his life for an entire nation.

Glancing over at Brooke, Lucas slowly realized what she was implying at. He looked back out at the field as the third inning came to a close with a small smile before placing his hand on her thigh. He lightly traced figure eights over her jeans with the pad of his thumb. "You know you're the only person I've met since I came back that doesn't think I'm a fucking nutcase?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Brooke watched as the Phillies catcher practiced his swing on deck. "Well then, they really missed out."

Before Lucas got the chance to reply, the familiar opening of Sixpence None The Richer's 'Kiss Me' blared throughout the stadium. Both pairs of blue and hazel eyes darted to the jumbo-tron as the cameras flashed to random couples in the crowd. Kiss-Cams had always bothered him before this moment. Lucas glanced over towards Brooke out of the corner of his eye as she shifted in her seat. "Wanna shamelessly make out with me even though we won't be seen by thousands of people?" The chance of two Phillies fans being on the giant screen at a Mets game was very, very slim. But Brooke didn't care, nor bothered to answer his question. Grabbing his face, her eyes flickered shut as their lips meshed together.

Lucas gladly reciprocated as his tongue lightly found its way to meet hers. They were so immersed in the moment that neither noticed when the entire stadium saw their faces on the giant screen. Lucas intensified the kiss once his teeth tugged at her lower lip but stopped when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Bringing his head up abruptly, a grey haired man in a Mets jersey with a wide grin pointed to the screen. "Watch it bud," he said, "kids are here. It's a day game."

* * *

><p>The game ended around 3 o'clock. Luckily for Lucas, the Phillies had won the game by seven runs. But he was disappointed that the conclusion of the ninth inning signified the end of their first date. Much to his surprise, Brooke had gotten into the game. She yelled when the umpire called an unfair strike and cheered when the Phillies pitcher struck a batter out. To Lucas, she seemed like the type of person who could have fun no matter what the circumstances. He liked that. He wished he could be like her in that respect.<p>

"Thank you, Lucas." Brooke said once they were back on the subway. Harlem was zooming by which meant Manhattan was quickly approaching. She and Lucas were sitting in the back of a subway car. Her tiny frame was nestled into him, with Lucas' arm draped lazily around her shoulder. "I had a great time."

"So did I…" Lucas lightly planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Next time I promise we'll do something more your style, though. You can choose, as long as it isn't a Spice Girls concert." He joked before he felt a quick slap to his leg. "But in all seriousness, I really want to see you again soon."

Brooke sighed softly to herself as her hazel eyes watched buildings zoom past them. "I know. I wish there were, like, 30 innings in a baseball game, the 9 flew by." She sat up when Lucas began laughing at her and raised both eyebrows. "What?"

"You're cute, that's all." Lucas watched as her features softened and a small dimpled smirk appeared. "And trust me, you wouldn't want to sit on those seats for 30 innings. Your ass would be sore for days."

The brunette took back her place at his side, taking in his smell. She was surprised that the combination of cigarette smoke and laundry detergent didn't repulse her- it actually somewhat turned her on. "What are you doing for the rest of your weekend?" She murmured, closing her eyes momentarily- Lucas' body heat and the lull of the train making her tired.

"I'm staying in the city for a little tonight. Sunday dinner with my brother's family." The brooder squinted out the window as he began drumming his fingers against his knee. "I haven't gone since I've been home. My nephew's been asking about me." He spoke quietly, more to himself than Brooke and lost himself in his own thoughts momentarily. "Which means I can drop you off at your place, if you'd like me to."

"I'd like that, Broody."

* * *

><p>After switching subways at Grand Central and a good twenty minutes, Brooke and Lucas made it to the Upper East Side. Although he had been to Nathan and Haley's penthouse plenty of times, there was something about the affluent area between 59th and 96th streets that made him feel as if he didn't belong. Everything was so <em>clean<em> compared to the Bronx. Like he was John Bender thrown into the set of Cruel Intentions. Not caring that he was out of place, Lucas smiled quietly to himself when he felt Brooke reach for his hand. She slowed down in front of a building that had a green awning, which created a pathway into the luxurious apartment complex. Luke squinted, leaning back to look further down the familiar street.

"You live a block away from my brother." He said, confused for a second, as if his brain wasn't processing this new realization. The girl on his arm stopped, too, and looked in the direction the blond was facing.

She tilted her head with a dimpled smile, her red Phillies hat still proudly on display. "Huh? That's funny. Small world, isn't it?"

Feeling almost surreal, Lucas turned back to Brooke with his signature Scott smirk. "Yeah, real small. I guess I found a reason to start coming back to Sunday dinners." The prospect of getting dessert afterwards was far too promising to not come into Manhattan anymore.

Eyes rolling, Brooke lightly slapped at his chest, trying not to grin. She failed miserably. "Well, maybe if you're lucky tonight I'll come down to say bye to you before you go home." She leaned into Lucas as he wrapped his strong arms around her tiny waist. Standing on her tippy toes, she planted a soft kiss on his lips. "And maybe if you're really, really lucky I'll let you come upstairs."

Brooke turned to leave, waving as she fumbled around with her keys.

"What are the chances of me getting upstairs?" Lucas asked as he lit up a cigarette, tucking his lighter back into his packet.

Glancing over her shoulder with a cocked eyebrow, Brooke placed a finger on her chin and shrugged her shoulders. "50/50."

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes and a quick shower later, Brooke Davis slid into a matching black lace bra and thong, not knowing where the night was headed. She wasn't exactly sure what she planned to do with Lucas later, but it was always better to be prepared than be wearing anything resembling granny panties. Humming to herself, she stopped after hearing her phone vibrate on her bed. Seeing who the caller was she immediately answered.<p>

"Lucas? Are you okay?" She was worried. Family dinners generally lasted longer than an hour.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, Brooke. I was just supposed to ask you a question." Lucas said quietly, the embarrassment evident in his voice. Brooke could hear a voice in the background laughing loudly. "Uncle Luke, who's Brooke? Is she your _girrrlfriend_?" Another female voice told Lucas' apparent nephew to stop. "My sister-in-law wanted to tell you that you're welcome to come over. It's nothing formal. And there's no pressure, you can say no. I got yelled at for not inviting you."

Brooke stood in shock for moment. She hadn't been to anything family related in years. Suddenly feeling nervous, Brooke ran a hand through her wet hair. "I don't know, Luke. I don't want to intrude or anything. I just got out of the shower-"

"Did you really?" He asked. She could hear his shit-eating grin through the phone. "But hey, if it's too much too soon. Don't worry about it."

"No, no. I really like you, Lucas. I'm just a little nervous that's all." She sighed and headed towards her closet. "But, what the hell…count me in. What are we eating?"

"Pizza. We just ordered them now. Want me to come pick you up?" He asked, unable to suppress his smile.

"I'll be down in twenty. See you soon, Broody." She didn't bother to wait for his goodbye as she hung up and ran to her closet frantically.


	5. Truth Of My Youth

Shutting his phone, Lucas Scott turned on his heel to face his impatient sister-in-law. Haley James Scott stood before him: hands on her hips, demanding an answer from Lucas. The brooder squinted as he tucked his phone back into his pocket. He knew that Haley meant well, but meeting someone's family right after a first date sounded a little rushed to Lucas. "I'm picking her up in, like, a half hour."

Haley instant began scrambling around her luxurious kitchen, wiping down the granite countertops with a towel. Lucas didn't know why she always panicked when guests came over. Her house was always clean, which was saying something considering Nathan could be absolutely filthy at times. "Good! Luke I can't believe you didn't invite her!" Hearing Nate's deep voice from the other room, Lucas turned to see his brother watching Sports Center. "Well Christ, Hales. Did I take you to eat dinner with Dan after our first date? This poor girl probably thinks Luke is crazy…or you at least."

"Not the point, Nathan! We're not that bad. And besides we're practically neighbors. And I'm sure she's hungry!" The frenzied way Haley was running around reminded Lucas of her as a waitress at his mother's café when they were teenagers. His icy blue eyes flashed back and forth between his brother and best friend. "It's different here than it was in Tree Hill. Being a neighbor means someone you occasionally run into, there isn't that much of that southern hospitality." Nathan did have a point. Lucas only saw his neighbors when he was walking up and down the stairs. Interjecting before Haley had a chance to ramble some more, Lucas raised his hands up and stepped in the large open space between them.

"Haley, it's fine. Don't worry, Brooke's cool. Just promise me you won't smother her? No twenty questions? I like this one." Lucas took a sharp breath in and took a swig of the beer he had opened earlier. Seeing Haley's eyes widen at the sight of his bottle, she ran to the fridge and swung the door open. "Oh my god! Does she like beer? Light beer? Wine?"

"Haley! Relax! She drank my cheap beer!" Approaching his friend, Lucas placed his hands on each of her shoulders and dramatically inhaled. "Deep breaths, you wanted me to invite her remember?"

Scrunching her nose, Haley exhaled slowly and grinned. "You didn't give her Natty did you?" Lucas rolled his eyes as an answer, shaking his head back and forth to himself as if he asked for it as he tried to hide his smirk. It was nice to see that Haley hadn't been cautious around him, that she could still make fun of him. Lucas had missed this normalcy. Jamie had grown up so much since Lucas had last seen him, and it killed him knowing he had missed a couple of his nephew's birthdays.

"Uncle Lucas, what's Natty?" The blond turned around quickly at his nephew's question. "Natty? It's a drink your dad used to give your mom to make her extra nice to him when we were teenagers." Lucas grinned as Haley slapped him on the arm, harder than he anticipated. "Isn't that right, Nate?" He called out to the living room to where Nathan was sitting, laughing his ass off. Jamie raised both of his eyebrows and took a sharp inhale. "I need to get my hands on some when mama's mad at me."

Lucas grinned widely and crouched down to be eye-level with his nephew. Jamie had always been a great kid. "I think I can help you out with that, kiddo. But maybe in a couple years." Ruffling his hand through Jamie's hair, Lucas stood up and glanced at the neon green numbers on the microwave. "What to you say we go outside and walk to meet Brooke?"

Jamie looked with pleading eyes to Haley for an answer. It was painfully obvious that he had missed his uncle as he ran next to the 6'2 blond that towered over the five year old. Nodding in agreement, Haley walked over to the closet by the front door and handed Jamie a light jacket. "Just be nice and introduce yourself."

* * *

><p>Jamie tugged on Lucas' hand when he noticed his uncle reaching for his lighter. "Mama says smoking is bad for you, Uncle Lucas." In return, Luke glanced down at Jamie and offered him an apologetic smile. "It is, buddy. Don't let me ever catch you with these, you'd be in a lot of trouble because once you start you can't stop." Jamie crinkled his nose at Lucas, trying to wrap his head around the hypocrisy coming out of Lucas' mouth. Grinning with a cigarette dangling from the corner of his lips, Lucas held his hand out for Jamie to take a hold on to.<p>

"Come on, little man, let's go pick up Brooke." Jamie eagerly accepted the offer. Lucas had never met a kid like Jamie. He was so smart for a 5 year old and had a great sense of humor- the perfect balance between Haley and Nathan. While he was in Iraq, Lucas had missed his nephew the most and looked forward to reading his scribbled cards and letters. "Those things are stinky. You're lucky Brooke is your friend. If I smelled like those….whew, I don't know if I'd make any new friends." Jamie said assuredly with wide eyes.

Lucas laughed and nodded in agreement as he took a long drag, ashing the tip of his cigarette far away from Jamie. "I know, I got lucky with this one." As they crossed the street, Lucas felt Jamie's tiny grip hold on to him tighter, bringing a smile to his face. Haley had taught him well. Coming from Tree Hill to the biggest city in the country must have been a big adjustment for a 5 year old. While he was thrilled for Nathan, a part of him felt sympathetic towards Haley and Jamie who had been uprooted and ripped away from their family and friends. Once they were back on the sidewalk again, Lucas felt another tug on his arm, seeing Jamie had stopped in his tracks. His blue eyes were glazed over and he suddenly hugged Lucas, his arms gripping tightly at his knees. "I missed you, Uncle Lucas. I'm glad you're back and okay."

Looking down at Jamie, Lucas swallowed the lump in his throat before kneeling down and hugging his nephew back. "I missed you too, Jamie." He kept his voice soft as he ran his hand up and down Jamie's small back. "I promise we can hang out more soon. We can go explore the city one day- just me and you, okay?" The little boy nodded excitedly and let go of his uncle, who in return stood back up to reach his full 6'2 frame.

They now stood in front of Brooke's apartment building. Jamie counting the number of floors, pointing at each window above them- Lucas watching while puffing away on his cigarette. He knew he had gotten here a couple minutes early, but he didn't even bother asking Haley if he could smoke inside. Jamie soon got bored with counting and preceded to describe what he wanted to do with Lucas. "Uncle Lucas I want to go to the zoo by your house. It's called the Bronx Zoo- all the kids in my class talk about how cool it is. And when it gets cold and snowy, mama said that we're going ice-skating outside! You can come with us if you want."

Lucas laughed as his cigarette became shorter and shorter with each pull he took off it. "Ice-skating? If I come you have to promise you won't laugh when I fall." Jamie rolled his eyes at Lucas as if he had made the most obvious statement. "I'm only gonna laugh if you don't get hurt. Duh, don't you know how that works. It's always funny until someone gets hurt." This had to most likely be sage wisdom from Nathan.

Upstairs, Brooke Davis was completely out of breath. She hadn't gotten ready this quick since her college days of waking up hung-over 10 minutes before class. Going through her mental checklist, the brunette silently ran back to her bathroom. Deodorant was important too. Taking a sharp breath in as she examined herself in the mirror, Brooke calmed herself down. Chances were that his family was just as easy-going as Lucas was. Not all family relationships were fucked up like the Davis', or maybe it was just her mother who had turned into a cold, unfeeling bitch that was the real reason Brooke got so worked up over shit like this. Running a hand through her chocolate locks, Brooke grabbed a hold of her phone for a time check. She was only a couple minutes behind schedule, but in her defense she had to dry and straighten her hair, which always took what seemed like an eternity.

Curious, Brooke held the listen button next to the buzzer by her front door. Two faint, muffled voices were coming in through the intercom. "What do you mean it's funny when people get hurt?" She recognized the first deep voice as Lucas', smiling to herself as she eavesdropped. "You know what I mean, Uncle Luke!" Uncle Luke made him sound more grown up than he looked, at least in Brooke's opinion. "If someone is in, like, a car accident it's sad. But if someone falls on their butt, it's funny!" His nephew's voice was so much higher in contrast to Luke's. "Doesn't your mom get mad at you when you say butt?" A small smile crept on Brooke's face when she heard his nephew giggle. "Yeah…but you never tell on me, Uncle Lucas. Besides I figured all of this out when we watched Jackass together."

Before Luke could get in any more trouble, Brooke hit the talk button and cleared her throat. "Lucas?" She called out as she reached for her keys. "Are you out there?" Hitting listen again, it was obvious his nephew was confused by the intercom. "Yeah Brooke, we're here."

* * *

><p>Flicking his lighter, Lucas lit up another cigarette, knowing it'd be a while before he'd get another chance to smoke. Jamie had left his side to inspect the intercom. And as if it were on cue, the glass doors swung open and his gaze rested on Brooke. She looked stunning in dark skinny jeans and simple white blouse. Lucas was starting to think that it was impossible for her to be anything less than perfect. Their eyes met and, for a moment, Lucas felt a strange calm wash over him. The brunette snapped him out of his trance when he heard her raspy voice. "So you guys watch Jackass, huh?"<p>

Lucas grinned as his nephew's eyes widened in shock. Jamie was clearly impressed that she knew this knowledge. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." She continued, winking at Jamie after throwing Lucas a quick dimpled grin. Jamie eased up and approached Brooke with his tiny arm extended up towards her. "I'm James Lucas Scott, but everyone calls me Jamie. Nice to meet you."

A soft smile eased over her features as Brooke lightly shook the boy's hand, surprised as to how outgoing he was. "Jamie, I'm Brooke Penelope Davis. And it's great to meet you too." The brunette directed her attention towards Lucas. "Twice in the same day... this has got to be your lucky day, Luke."

Jamie piped up almost instantly. "I think he's lucky to have a friend besides me. Those things make him smell bad." Luke's gaze flickered between Brooke and his nephew and couldn't help but laugh as he took another drag off of his cigarette. "He's worth the stench," the brunette added quietly as the brooders breath hitched in his throat, "don't you think so, Jamie?"

The boy giggled and nodded enthusiastically as he skipped back to Luke's side. "Yeah, he's the coolest uncle in the world. He promised to go on an adventure in the city with me. And we're going to the Bronx Zoo soon! You can come with us if you want to, Miss Brooke." Lucas grinned as he watched her reaction. Jamie usually had this effect on people. He had an incredible ability to make someone feel included, comfortable, and important, which said a lot for a five year old.

"That sounds fun! I may take you up on that offer. And you can just call me Brooke. Miss makes me feel old." Jamie squinted momentarily as if he were making a mental note after this revelation. He nodded with a smirk before tugging on Luke's arm. "Come on Uncle Lucas, we have to tell mama our plans for the zoo."

Grinning like an idiot, Lucas dangled the cigarette from his lips and shook his head to himself. Jamie must have really wanted to check out the zoo. Placing his hand on the small of Brooke's back as they began walking back to Nathan and Haley's, Lucas craned his neck to whisper in her ear. "Thanks for humoring my sister-in-law, Miss Brooke." He soon found her swatting at him with a perfectly manicured hand and trying so hard not to crack a grin. Jamie looked quizzically at both Brooke and Lucas and spoke in a knowing voice. "You better give Brooke some Natty."

With wide eyes, Brooke glanced over at Lucas and cleared her throat. "Is he saying what I think he's saying?" She asked in amazement. Before Lucas got a chance to explain, a loud blaring noise rang throughout his ears. A feeling of panic overwhelmed him and Lucas immediately shielded both Brooke and Jamie from the source of the sound with his back to them and arms spread open. This couldn't be happening here. His eyes quickly scanned the open street and stopped on a taxi with its hazards flashing. Quick flashbacks entered in and out of his memory. The flames, the screams, the gunshots, and the sight of desert heat surfacing off of the asphalt streets all began coming back to him. Lucas felt like he was suffocating and his heart began pounding heavily within his chest walls.

"Uncle Lucas! Stop being so silly! It's just a car alarm. What's he doing Brooke?"

Standing dazed for a moment, Lucas turned to Jamie laughing and Brooke staring at him cautiously. His cigarette was shaking between his fingers and his free hand traveled unconsciously to the jagged scar on his chest. Squeezing his eyes shut and reminding himself that they were in New York, he began to calm down. Like clockwork, he brought his cigarette back to his lips for another drag. The nicotine eased his nerves like a security blanket. He remained silent as he flicked the rest of the Marlboro to the curb. Brooke felt her heart ache for him and her dimpled grin had flickered to a slight frown. Without hesitation, she placed her hand in his and offered it a reassuring squeeze.

* * *

><p>As far as the night had gone, Brooke had gotten along perfectly with the Scott family. Haley had been frantic and nervous at first, making sure that Brooke was completely comfortable and had a drink in hand, which in this case was a glass of merlot. And Brooke had witnessed Nathan mouth 'oh my god' to Lucas out of the corner of her eye when they first arrived. Jamie was the sweetest kid she had ever met and his relationship with Lucas was something she had grown to be mildly jealous of. It was apparent that Jamie idolized him. Now, the boys were sitting in the living room watching Sports Center while she accompanied Haley in the kitchen to get a refill.<p>

"So how did you and Nathan meet?" Brooke asked curiously, her anxiety about meeting Luke's family had been gone from the moment she walked through the door. Haley turned her head over her shoulder as she began pouring another glass of wine. "It's a long story…a little complicated, but I can give you the run-down if you'd like."

The brunette chuckled quietly as she looked over at Lucas on the couch. He had relaxed after the incident outside. "I'm all ears. I can live without all the high lights from games I don't understand to begin with."

"Okay, well I guess the best way to approach this is to brush up on a little Scott family history. I'm not sure if Luke told you, but he and Nathan are only half brothers. Their father, Dan, is a bit of an asshole to say the least. Dan left Luke's mom before he was born at the end of their senior year and moved on to Nathan's mom his freshman year of college. Basically, Dan chose to abandon Lucas and do the right thing with my mother-in-law. They got married and the whole nine yards." Haley paused to sip on her wine and catch her breath before leaning against the counter. "Dan didn't acknowledge Lucas, ever, when we were growing up. And Nathan was kind of an ass in general, there's no way around it. But Lucas joined the varsity basketball team our junior year and they mutually hated each other." With a small grin, Haley inhaled and swirled the merlot around in the glass as she explained the twisted web of family history. "Luke has been my best friend since the third grade. We both weren't exactly 'cool kids' growing up. But anyway, Nathan tried to piss Lucas off by getting me to tutor him. And at first it was just a game for Nathan, but somehow along the way we fell in love when we were seventeen."

Brooke had listened intently, trying to learn anything she could about Lucas. With wide eyes she finally exhaled when Haley finished her story. For someone who had been dealt a pretty rough deal, Lucas had turned out to be nothing short of amazing. "Wow, and to think high school wasn't dramatic enough. I didn't realize they were half brothers. You and Nathan are so cute though. The chances of high school relationships going beyond graduation are never high."

A dry laugh escaped Haley's lips and she nodded with agreement. "Yeah, there were times I didn't think we'd make it. There were definitely a lot of ups and downs, but getting through the hard times makes everything better. But enough about Nathan and me! I haven't seen Lucas this sociable and happy in a long time."

Feeling her cheeks turn a light shade of pink, Brooke crinkled her nose and tried to hide an obvious smile. "Really?" She asked and laughed when Haley nodded.

"Nathan was in a state of shock when he called to ask for tickets to that game. Lucas never, ever asks for anything. That's gotta tell you something. He's the kind of person who always gives and doesn't expect anything in return." Brooke decided not to comment on the fact that she wondered if Haley's last statement applied to the bedroom as well.

In the living room, Nathan kept his voice down so it was out of Jamie's earshot. "Dude, you were right. A ten. She seems cool as hell too." Lucas grinned as he tipped back his Miller High Life. Peering into the kitchen, he caught Brooke's gaze for a moment and playfully wiggled his eyebrows at her before brining his attention back to his brother. "I told you. She's great. She didn't complain about the game and she willingly wore a Phillies hat to a Mets game." Nathan stared at Lucas for a second and his jaw dropped. "You're shitting me? What a good sport. Keep this one around if you can, chicks like that do not come around everyday."

* * *

><p>The evening came to an end a few hours and a couple pizzas later. Brooke was glad she had decided to meet his family. She had already made plans to grab lunch with Haley sometime in the next week, promised Nathan that the four of them would go to her favorite bar in New York, and Jamie had been insistent that she goes to the zoo when they went. As they said their goodbyes and parted their separate ways, Brooke lightly placed a kiss on Lucas' stubbly cheek. She had spent most of the time with Haley and Jamie and felt as if she hadn't got much of a chance to spend time with Luke.<p>

"I think you might have a hard time hearing this, Broody Boy, but what if I like your family more than you?" Brooke teased as Lucas draped an arm around her, bringing her to his side as they walked down the street towards her apartment. A dimpled smile overtook her features when she heard Luke's deep laugh.

"I think Jamie may have replaced me with you. I hope you don't mind tagging along at the zoo soon, Miss Brooke." The blond moved to link their arms as they walked side-by-side through the city that never sleeps. "Thanks, too, for not telling Nathan or Haley about that whole, uh, thing with the car alarm. I owe you one, Davis, for not running away scared."

"Do things like that happen to you a lot?" Brooke asked quietly, not wanting to offend him or have the question come out the wrong way. It was becoming more and more clear that he was suffering from some sort of post-traumatic stress. Glancing up at Lucas as he cleared his throat, Brooke could see he was getting embarrassed as his cheeks flushed. "Some days," she heard him say, "Everything is okay, you know? But then there are others when anxiety kicks in and my senses are heightened." He left it at that, vague and quiet. Brooke pouted slightly and pulled him closer to her, letting him know she was there for him without having to say anything at all.

They had reached her building. Lucas let out a small sigh, disappointed that he would have to be leaving her soon. "Come upstairs for a while," her raspy voice was eager, her eyes pleading with him, "I barely got to talk to you at your brothers."

As she tugged on his arm leading him into her building before he could answer, Lucas chuckled and shook his head to himself. "I guess I can manage. It's not like I have much of a choice anyway." Brooke looked at him sharply with squinted eyes for a moment before she joined in with his laughter.

The doorman greeted Brooke and tipped his hat to Lucas, much to the blond's surprise. He wasn't used to little luxuries like these. Eyes scanning the foyer of the building, Lucas held his breath and grinned to himself. Brooke skipped over to the elevator, impatiently hitting the 'up' button as if it would speed things up.

Lucas trailed behind, admiring the high ceilings of the lobby. He suddenly became worried that he didn't have much to offer Brooke. He wasn't sure if she had grown up in the lap of luxury, but he had lived 23 years of hard struggling. But before he had too much time to brood over the thought, Brooke yanked him into the elevator, which wiped the squinted, scrunch expression off of his face. As the steel doors closer before them, he felt her tiny frame back him up against the wall as the button labeled '6' illuminated.

"Now I know at your place you can make me appreciate the stairs," she began suggestively, "but when we're here we can make the most out of the elevator ride." With his signature Scott smirk, Lucas didn't waste any time capturing her lips with his. He had been waiting all night to do this. Brooke grinned before parting his lips with her tongue, pushing herself into him as her fingertips clutched at his red cotton t-shirt. Much to her disappointment, the ride came to an end when the double doors opened. The brunette pulled herself away from him, but her grip lingered on his shirt for a second before she exited and fumbled around with her keys.

She unlocked her front door, opening Lucas' eyes to her home. Brooke placed her clutch and keys on her kitchen counter as she called out to Lucas with her back facing him. "Help yourself to whatever is in the fridge. I really have to pee. I was holding it for the past hour!"

Lucas chuckled again to himself as he walked deeper into her apartment. To say it was nice was an understatement. He had only imagined of places like this growing up. But rather than admire all of her material possessions, he stopped to look at a couple of framed photos hanging on her wall. There was one of Brooke with the redhead from AA at some sort of party- each had a glass champagne in hand and had big ass plastered smiles. Another was what Lucas guessed was a portrait from when Brooke was younger with her parents. It was on a beach somewhere and the three seemed to be having a good time. The last was of Brooke and presumably her father in the city. She looked about Jamie's age in the photo and her dimpled smile was fully intact. Lucas' attention was interrupted by Brooke's raspy voice. "What're you doing, Solider Boy?"

"Is this your family?" He asked, still looking at the photos. Brooke approached his towering figure and stood next to him, resting her cheek against his arm. "Yep." She said quietly, staring at the frozen memories with him. "You look like both of your parents…like the perfect balance between them." She merely nodded, not sure why he had decided to look at these. Most guys went to peek straight at the bedroom. "That's what I've been told."

"Any siblings?" Lucas asked, curious. He wanted to learn more about her. Standing there, he wrapped his arm around Brooke as his hues stayed glued to the wall. "Nope. Just me and my mom now."

The blond glanced down at Brooke. Her demeanor had softened. It was almost as if she was nostalgic, trying to grasp on to the past. Brooke had a sad smile as her gaze met Lucas' confused expression. She bit down on her lip, trying not to get emotional. "My dad's office was in the North Tower." Lucas felt his heart completely shatter. He pulled her closer into him, unsure of what to say and feeling like a complete asshole for prying. "It was like the whole world stopped that day," she continued in reference to 9/11.

"Brooke, I'm so sorry. For bringing it up…I should have just raided the fridge." Lucas said stupidly, cursing his own mouth for not minding his own business. Brooke stood in front of him and ran the pad of her thumb along his rugged jaw line. "It's okay Lucas. I came to terms with it a long time ago. I can talk about it."

Planting a soft kiss on the top of her head, Lucas tightly wrapped his arms around Brooke and let out a quiet sigh. "Can I tell you something?" He asked, waiting until her nod was a confirmation to continue his confession. "That was the day that I made the decision to join the Army when I could…even though I was only thirteen at the time. Watching TV then was like some god telling me that this was what I needed to do, this is where I belonged- that I would have to do anything to help keep everyone I love safe." He paused when he felt Brooke hug him tighter as she buried her face into his chest. It wasn't fair that she had been robbed of a father ten years ago the next month.

The brunette abruptly grabbed his scruffy face and softly crashed his lips into hers. Conversation between them would have been awkward with Lucas most likely walking on eggshells around her now. He reciprocated gently, inhaling deeply though his nose as his eyes flickered shut. Brooke tried to ignore the chills that shot throughout her entire being when his thumbs pushed up the hem of her shirt and began making tiny invisible circles on her hipbones. Tugging at his lower lip with her teeth, Brooke grinned when she felt Lucas moan into her mouth.

Taking the opportunity to take control, Lucas backed her tiny frame into the wall, pinning her arms over her head before he parted from Brooke to catch his breath. His blond head dipped and he began to make a slow trail of warm, wet kisses from her collarbone and up the groove of her neck. Hazel eyes rolled before snapping shut. Her wrists released from his grasp from above and her delicate hands went straight for the red t-shirt that was clinging to his chest. As if it were instinct, she lifted the cotton article of clothing over his head and tossed it aside.

Brooke's eyes rested on his perfectly toned torso as her fingers tugged at his belt buckle. Biting on her own lip, her gaze rested on a long, ugly scar that ran from his collarbone across his left pec. She felt him tense up when he realized what she was looking at. This was not the opportune moment to ruin by asking too many questions, as twisted and fucked up as it sounded. With a sly smirk of her own, Brooke freed his pants from his belt and laughed when they dropped to his ankles.

Lucas stood there with squinted eyes and absentmindedly waved a finger between his half naked body and Brooke. "So wait…how is this fair right now?"

Running her hands over his chest and broad shoulders, Brooke tilted her head and stood on her tippy toes, teasing him as she murmured into his lips. "Apparently you're easy. Didn't take much for me to get you out of your pants." Her hand wandered to the elastic waistband of his green and navy blue plaid boxers. She was tormenting him and she knew it- dragging her soft fingertips along the soft material but refusing to go any further south. "But I might make you work for it, Broody Boy."

Exhaling when she pulled away, Lucas wasn't sure if Brooke was just toying with him as she walked deeper into the apartment, leaving him standing there like a jackass. His bright blues trailed after Brooke, her hips were swinging just right, tantalizing him. Lucas looked down at himself for a moment. His jeans were pooled at his feet with his shoes still on and thank god he hadn't pitched a tent in his boxers yet. Leaving here with blue balls was not a good way to end the weekend.

Just before he accepted defeat and pulled his pants back up, Lucas heard Brooke's raspy voice calling out. "Come on, Solider, we don't have all night." His blond head swiveled in her direction and he felt his jaw drop slightly. She stood in the door of her bedroom, palms resting on each side of the wooden frame, wearing nothing but black lace. Kicking his shoes and jeans off, Lucas struggled to balance as he peeled his socks off before he ran towards Brooke with a wide grin. He scooped Brooke up in his arms, laughing as she squealed and wrapped her legs around his torso, shutting the bedroom door behind them.


End file.
